November was not a good month, my RA flared up in my hands. Also my Neutrophils were 0 last lab. Get new lab Wed, hoping it is up at least a few numbers.
On the plus side for November Robbin brought all the fixings for Thanksgiving dinner and cooked it. Marjie, Jackie, and Kati were here. It was delicious.
Also on Friday, Jessica came down to put up my tree. The 4 Embrey girls were brought by Bryant and Rachell so they could help her. It looks great though it does not have anything under it yet.
I have taken a higher dose
of my RA meds for 3 weeks now, and the aches and pain from that are almost gone. So hopefully December is going to be a good month.
Jim went with Tim and Debbie to WV this week. The Annual Black Walnut Festival if going on. He seems to be feeling ok and having a good time.
Will be back late Sun night or Monday. Hope he continues to use his cane to keep him from falling so much. His sister has made him use it out there.
I have been doing some cleaning this week. Did not get all done that I wanted to, but feels better in most of the house.
Poor Charlie is really missing Jim. He has followed me everywhere in the house, and layed around where I was working. Dallas looks for him out the window, but he is dealing with him being gone better than Charlie. They both stay right with him when he is here.
Going to Cheddars tomorrow for lunch with Jackie, Marjie, Robbin, and Kyle. I have never been there. Jim is not much for "wait to be seated" places. Looking forwarding to endingmy Staycation with a get together with my girls.
Hoping for a good Fall and Winter with good health for both of us.
Had a few bad weeks with my RA. Got a cortisone shot and it has helped. Hope it lasts awhile. Dr. said it does. My neutrophils have stayed low, but saw Dr. S today and he says I have enough to fight infections, so I do not have to go back on the chemo pills to suppress immune system.
Am hoping to feel better. Have had no energy, but felt better past few days.
On July 30th we celebrated Jim's 80th birthday with a BBQ. All the kids and grandkids were here and most of the Great Grankids
In addition we surprised him with his brother Bill and Sandy, Sister Linda and Stu, and Monica from WV
We all had a great time and the WV relatives stayed til Monday
We had tons of food and a water slide for the kids.
A good time was had by all.
Began swimming June10 th and have gone every week day but one so far. It goes through the first part of August. The instructor is really giving us some workouts that you can tell are working.
Have lost another few pounds. Down to 143 now. Goal is 137.
When swimming is over, I think I will be motivated to keep up an exercise routine at home. I really must keep moving to keep my parts working as long as possible.
Am not really into the summertime spirit yet, but know I will get there. Especially when swimming starts in about a week.
Had oncology visit last week. Neutrophils are about into normal range, so do not need to see him for 4 months. Tomorrow will see RA Dr. Should not be any changes there. A couple weeks ago was really achey. But think it was due to the weather changing. Seems to be leaving now.
Went to Makena's birthday BBQ Saturday. She is a cutie. Is going to have a new sister in a few weeks, so will add another great daughter to our tribe.
Kati also had a birthday this month. She is now 8. My great grandkids go from 19 down to newborn this year.
Jim will turn 80 in August. The kids are planning a BBQ for him, hoping to get all or most of the kids here for it. He hurts most of the time from his arthritis, but just keeps going.
Hoping for a great summer. Not that we will do much, but you can enjoy life in one spot.
Today I said goodbye to an old friend. Though we drifted apart in later years due to her withdrawal into herself, she was the very best friend I had from my twenties for thirty years. I have missed her since she drifted away though I would run into her from time to time and have a short visit.
As I looked though the pictures of her at visitation it brought back a lot of good memories.
The last thing I will remember about her is she had on an orange dress as she lay there. I am thinking, she never wore orange as it did not go with her dark complexion. She looked real good in yellow and wore a lot of yellows, browns, tans, and greens.
I guess we think the strangest things when saying goodbye. Rest in Peace old friend.
In December, bought a table of hats at auction. Paid $5.00 and woman bought on off me for a $1.00 that day. So have $4.00 investment.
Think there were about 24 Vintage hats and a set of matching silk purse and gloves.
Today I mailed off an Ebay order, and my total made from these is now $105.42. I have one lot of 3 hats left to sell. I sold them individually, lots of 2, 3, 4, and 5. This is what makes me love doing Ebay. I have sold Vintage hats along the way when I can find them, but I do not come across them often.
Time for a Happy Dance!
Friday April is here. The past few weeks had a lot of 70's weather. So Spring is about to burst onto the scene.
White fighters are still not coming up to normal. Saw Oncologist Monday, and since all other signs of LGL are not showing, am continuing on Methotrexate until I see him again in May. So it will be up or back on stronger immune suppressants. Ca Sa Ra.
I cannot get motivated to exercise. Am holding the weight I lost. But need to get another 10 pounds off. Soooo, better get to moving around more .
March 11 I stopped taking Ambien. Was messing with balance and alertness in mornings. Have had some sleepless nights, but can really tell the difference in being more clear headed mornings. Will hit 3 weeks off Friday. I may have to take one now and then. Will see.
Sooo excited that the new Season is upon us. I love Spring and summer.
Since I have dental work in April and went off my Methotrexate for awhile the little devils. Dr. Stephenson decided after my bone morrow test we could wait and see if the higher dose would bring me back up. Got up to 18, now is bouncing at 13 and 12 every 4 weeks. Needs to be 36-70. When I go see him the end of March I expect he will want to put me on a higher power of immune suppressants. Need to get it back up to normal, the go back to RA meds and see if it keeps it up like it was.
Minor blip on the radar, but need to get them back up.
Springs coming so need to feel good.
Monday, 7th, I will again attend the funeral of a friend I have been in club with for over 60 years. She has been fighting cancer and lost . We had a group of 13. We lost Alice to Alzheimers, and in the nursing home. Mary Lou passed away about 3 years or so ago. Nelda in January, and now Martha.
We have made some good memories over the years. Is sad to lose friends.
Tomorrow I will attend the funeral of a lady I went to club with from the 60's til her health failed and she could no longer go.
Today I went to visit a friend who lost her husband a few weeks ago. Her son has been battling cancer and lost. He is now terminal and she is taking care of him. She also has a mother who has been in hospital who is in upper 90's. She is in Nursing home now getting therapy so she can get back home. I cannot imagine how my friend is dealing with caring for her son and worrying about her Mom. She has not even had time to grieve for her husband yet.
This will not end up being a good winter.
God comfort and be with them all.
Today I attended the funeral of a good friends husband . She is a member of a club I have been in for over 50 years. We began by losing spouses. We have also lost 2 members in the past few years.
I guess when you have been together as long as we have, loss of members or their spouses is bound to happen.
Randy's services will be Saturday, and it is going to be very hard. He has been part of our family so long that he is like one of our own children. He and our granddaughter, Jessica have always been close.
The hurt is double...losing Randy, and Jessica's pain from losing him. It is hard when you cannot make things better for someone. You just have to let their grief run its course. And pray that she get some healing as time goes on.
God be with us and help us through that day.
We lost Randy this morning around 6:30 a.m. He has been in Hospice over 2 weeks. Jessica has only left a couple times for a short period and Jackie was there. Both have been there most of the time. Many of his family and friends got to visit him while he was still alert.
Jessica and her Dad were very close. Will take her a long time to do some healing. When she is able to begin some semblance of her normal life back where she can work and be with her friends it will comfort her. And she can begin to come back, not as before as the loss will always be there. But she is strong and she will be ok.
GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN.
